OKACAA Head Start Building Blocks

Oklahoma Association
of Community Action Agencies

2800 N.W. 36th
Suite 221
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Phone:
(405) 949-1495
Fax:
(405) 949-0955

Head Start

Building Blocks	Program Listings	More Info
Success Stories	State Coordination & Collaboration	Links

Building Blocks That Work

Parent involvement is integral to the success of any Head Start program. Head Start is designed to foster the parent's role as the principal influence on the child's development and as the child's primary educator, nurturer, and advocate. Our programs work closely with parents to develop and utilize parents' individual strengths in order to meet personal and family goals. Parents are encouraged to become involved in policy and program decisions that respond to their needs and interests.

Head Start's learning experiences encourage cognitive, emotional, social and motor development through an integrated program that provides each child with opportunities to experience success. The education component incorporates the parent involvement and health components as well. The learning program must incorporate the community's ethnic and cultural characteristics among its staff and within the curriculum.

This component of Head Start is designed to help families build on their own strengths and use their own resources to resolve issues facing them. Head Start staff help families assess their needs, provide information about available community resources, make referrals and facilitate access to appropriate services, and assist in community outreach and crisis intervention.

At least 10% of Head Start enrollment opportunities must be reserved for children with professionally diagnosed disabilities requiring special services. These children and their families receive the full range of HS services in a mainstream setting. During the 2003/2004 program year in Oklahoma, 2,048 of the children enrolled in HS were diagnosed as having a disability.

Head Start emphasizes the importance of prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of health problems. Head Start provides every child with a comprehensive health program, including medical, dental, mental health and nutrition services. Children receive a complete examination, including a vision and hearing test, identification of disabling conditions, immunizations and a dental exam. Follow-up treatment is provided for identified health problems.

Head Start recognizes the importance of providing mental health and psychological services to children in order to encourage healthy emotional and social development. A mental health professional is available to every Head Start program. This professional provides mental health training to staff and parents, promotes awareness of the need for early attention to the special mental health problems of children and, if needed, guides the professional referral process.

In the Head Start program children are served a minimum of one hot meal and one snack each day. This food must provide at least one third of their daily nutritional needs. The nutritionist plans an educational program to teach parents how to select healthy foods and prepare well-balanced meals, and how to obtain food stamps and other community assistance when needed.

Head Start also assists teachers in continuing their education. More than half the Head Start classroom teachers in Oklahoma have earned associate, bachelor, or advanced degrees in early childhood education. Nearly all teachers without a degree are enrolled in early childhood degree programs.